Garden Before All Else
by alescA Munroe
Summary: Irvine Kinneas, Selphie Tilmitt, killing two birds with one stone, and a truth kept secret. Sequel to Job. References to past IrvineSelphie. More character death.


Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Author's Notes: Sequel to Job. And since Gardens are mercenary organizations, I figure it's pretty likely that occasionally the characters might find themselves on opposite sides, since Irvine's from Galbadia Garden and all.

o0o0o0o0o0o

The door opens and Irvine doesn't even have to look up to know who it is, or why she is here. Only a handful of people in the world could have killed Rinoa that easily, and only one of that handful has the skills necessary to do it from a distance. He finishes packing away his sniper rifle for the last time and turns to face Selphie. "Why'd he pick you?"

The normally cheerful young woman's face is carefully composed. She is, after all, still on the clock. "I volunteered," she says very simply.

This admission hurts, but Irvine doesn't let it show on his face. Instead, he nods once, says, "Surprised he let you. Being as we used to be together and all."

Her expression doesn't change. "He wanted to come, but I talked him out of it."

And it must have taken the entire week since Rinoa's assassination to do that. Of course Squall would want to kill Irvine himself, it's more than likely one of his duties as Sorceress Knight. Irvine mentally applauds Selphie for even managing it in the first place. "How're Raijin and Fuujin doing?" he asks abruptly.

Selphie's calm facade drops a little as she blinks at the non-sequitur. "They went to Fisherman's Horizon for a few days," she responds almost uncertainly.

Irvine feels himself relax as his faith in Fuujin and Raijin's loyalty to Seifer is proven not unfounded. Fuujin had of course figured out Irvine hadn't acted alone, and it had taken no effort at all to get Raijin to agree to more or less force Seifer into hiding without letting him know he was in hiding in the first place. With luck, Seifer won't know Irvine is dead until long after the fact. The sniper smiles. "Good."

The mercenary's business face is gone now, and she looks angry. "_Why_?" she demands. "Goddammit, Irvine, you know you can't just walk away from a stunt like this."

"Stunt?" Irvine repeats, a steel edge in his voice, and Selphie shifts into a slightly defensive position on pure instinct. "You really think the opposition wouldn't figure out that Rinoa could've been swayed to their side?"

"Irvine, you _are_ the opposition," Selphie snaps heatedly. "Garden before all else, Irvine. Why didn't you try to swing Rinoa to Galbadia's favour yourself, then?"

"Can you keep a secret?" Without warning, Irvine raises Exeter to his shoulder, but Selphie had come in with Haste already cast on herself and in under a second Irvine is pinned to the wall by Selphie's nunchaku, the smooth metal going straight through his stomach. He grins, trust Selphie to try to make it quick, and pulls himself forward on the weapon to whisper bloodstained words in her ear. "If I hadn't, when Squall dies, Rinoa would have gone crazy and gone into the past to try to change things."

Selphie draws in a sharp breath, connecting the dots faster than even Quistis would have. "You mean..." He nods, face paling fast. "Who would have killed Squall, we could have stopped them instead of this!"

"It was me." He lets out a laugh, copper flecking her sunshine-colored dress. When did it get so cold in here? It's summer-oh. This must be what dying feels like. Irvine focuses on saying all he needs to before he runs out of time. "Garden before all else, remember? Two birds with one stone, this way. Or bullet, as it were."

"Irvine," Selphie says desperately, reaching around for the one Potion she carries with her, having no curative magic junctioned. She didn't think she would need it.

o0o0o0o0o

She doesn't need it.

o0o0o0o0o

End Note: The 'Rinoa is Ultimecia' theory is something I picked up from the Final Fantasy Wiki. Square's already said it's not true, but what do they know?


End file.
